Data Management and Organizational Change Management

In Data management and data integration efforts, a large percentage of costs are spent resolving issues of human dynamics. Organizations often spend tens or hundreds of millions of dollars on a data integration effort such as a master data management, data governance effort or data warehousing effort and 60% of the money is actually spent regarding working out conflicts over which approach is correct, overcoming obstacles regarding trust, redoing efforts because of communication issues and on other human dynamics factors. Universal Data Models provides tools that make these costs preventable.

Len Silverston at Universal Data Models, LLC, has spent the last 25 years on data management and data integration efforts, asking the question “What is the most important factor in the success of these efforts?” After reviewing dozens of data and information integration endeavors, the answer seems apparent: the most important factor in data integration is how the organizations works together well and handles cultural, political, and human factors.

In our experience and in the experience of hundreds of organizations that we have worked with in human dynamics seminars, there is a high rate of failure in data integration efforts. One of the most frequent reasons given for failure is “politics”. A key reason for lack of data integration is that people are not integrated and data silos largely stem from people silos.

Thus, in 2004, Universal Data Models, LLC, began providing real solutions to these costly challenges. In the areas of human dynamics, politics, culture, power, and develop techniques, Universal Data Models helps organization become much more effective in integrating data and information.

Organizational Change Management Consulting Offerings

1 day Human Dynamics Workshop

Over the years, our human dynamics workshops have been extremely well-received by businesses throughout the United States and around the world. Our one-day workshop has been proven to make a big difference in more effectively integrating data as well as people! This workshop focuses on key principles, techniques and tools that are critical in this type of enterprise data management effort. The human dynamics involved in data management can lead to issues that are extremely costly, and knowing what to do in advance can be the difference between success and failure. Investing in a single-day workshop on human dynamics will help prevent issues before they arise, and result in long-term payoffs. Some of the material include: looking at very common enterprise data management scenarios that are likely to occur and then applying key principles and tools that involve understanding the various motivations, how to establish clear enterprise wide vision regarding data, how to handle data sharing issues involving different types of trust that block data sharing, and how to handle conflicts among data professionals (such as modelers fighting over the “right” answer).

Human dynamics assessment and recommendations

Usually, 50% of solving human dynamics issues is clearly identifying what the real issues are (which are often hidden)! This engagement consists of several days involving a 2 assessment visit, 2 days of analysis and documentation, and 1 day on site to report findings. This may be shortened or extended based upon the needs and specific circumstances. The first visit involves interviews with key people on the integration effort as well as a group meeting. This is followed up with 2 days of offsite work to review, analyze and document the various issues and possible/recommended solutions. The assessment highlights various issues that may be blocking progress as well as suggestions for improvement, streamlining the effort, and being successful. Finally an additional day is scheduled to report on the findings both individually with key people involved in the effort and also in a group meeting.

Ongoing human dynamics consulting

This involves ongoing consultations via telephone meetings over a period of time to monitor the issues and action plan as well as to address and resolve human dynamics issues in enterprise data management. This usually involves about 1 hour per week (or every other week) to improve human dynamics and effectively.